Turkey’s Fidan heads to Moscow as S-400 sanctions issue returns to fore The visit comes weeks before Turkey hosts NATO leaders, on the sidelines of which Ankara hopes to reach a deal with Washington over CAATSA sanctions over its purchase of Russian S-400s. Turkey
What Lebanon army chief’s visit to Pakistan means Lebanon’s armed forces commander, Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, met with his Pakistani counterpart, Field Marshal Asim Munir, during his visit to Pakistan that coincided with ongoing negotiations between Iran and the US despite exchanges of fire. Lebanon
Explainer Turkey warns Greece, Cyprus not to engage in arms race: What to know Ankara is alarmed by Greece's military modernization, Cyprus’ shift to Western arms and expanding Greece-Cyprus-Israel defense ties. Turkey
Iran's covert nuclear risk higher after war as IAEA access constrained: Report Iran is estimated to possess about 440.9 kilograms, approximately 972 pounds, of uranium enriched to 60% purity, just below the 90% level considered weapons-grade. Iran
Analysis Cheap drones, costly threats: Why Gulf states are looking to Turkey for defense deals By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis From drones to deterrence: Turkey's ICBM missile signals bigger ambitions By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Egypt denies report it planned to produce 40,000 rockets for Russia Moscow has also denied the claims that President Sisi ordered the military to secretly ship the rockets to Russia. Egypt
Egypt, Sudan hold joint military drills as Nile dispute with Ethiopia drags on The naval drills come at a time of heightened tensions with Ethiopia as Addis Ababa works toward completing the filling of its controversial Nile dam without reaching an agreement with its downstream neighbors. Egypt
Saudis joining Shanghai Cooperation Organization as China bromance blossoms Russia, China and a number of former Soviet states in Central Asia created the SCO in 2001 to counter US hegemony in the region. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt rank among world’s top 10 arms importers: SIPRI Middle East countries made up more than a fourth of the top 40 global arms importers from 2018 to 2022, according to a new report. Legacy: Gulf
UAE's IDEX weapons fair brings in Russia, China, and billion-dollar deals The United Arab Emirates’ defense expenditure amounted to $22.5 billion last year and is expected to reach $28.6 billion by 2027. Legacy: Gulf
How Israel’s HevenDrones latest hydrogen-powered drone can help UAE The lightweight aerial vehicle for defense or commercial use is the latest fruit of diplomatic normalization between the two countries, and will be featured at IDEX next week. Legacy: Gulf
Iran intel official says China in line to buy Tehran's drones Despite growing Western alarm over the Islamic Republic's drone shipments to Russia, the Iranian official said 90 countries were "queuing up" for purchases of the same products. Iran
Jordan's first female F-16 pilot celebrated as 'hero' Jordanian women are playing an increasingly prominent role in the country’s military, though challenges remain. There have been notable female air force pilots in other countries throughout the Middle East as well. Jordan
Turkish FM travels to Washington seeking to seal deal for F-16 fighter jets Mevlut Cavusoglu’s meeting with Antony Blinken comes as Washington reportedly ties warplane deal to NATO expansion. Turkey
Middle East military rankings: Turkey highest, Lebanon lowest per global index Turkey stands out as the most powerful country in terms of its military capacities in its region while Lebanon is the weakest, a global military strength index finds. Turkey
Greece compares Turkey to North Korea in latest row with Erdogan Erdogan’s remarks raise stakes in rivalry between fellow NATO members as threatening rhetoric escalates. Turkey
Iran shows off homemade drones in large-scale exercise The drill was staged amid US intelligence reports that the Islamic Republic was planning to send Russia weapons-capable combat drones to be used in its war on Ukraine. Iran
